


Old Friends

by SDJ2



Category: Simon & Garfunkel, Simon and Garfunkel - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-03-04
Updated: 2009-03-04
Packaged: 2018-12-19 18:58:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11904129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SDJ2/pseuds/SDJ2





	Old Friends

The day he turns seventy, he gets a phone call. When Art picks it up, the person on the other line doesn’t identify himself, but immediately starts talking : “Are you feeling old yet, you little old man?”    


Art grins into the phone. “First of all”, he says, “who are you calling little? And second, Paul, you’re even older than I am!”    


“Yeah, yeah, whatever” comes the reply, playful, teasing. “Listen, I’ve got a surprise for you. Meet me in the park, okay?”   


Two hours later and they’re sitting in Central Park. They haven’t really said much, but they’re enjoying the view of the last coloured leaves falling on the ground. The sun is shining, but it’s November, and it’s getting colder in the city. They’re both dressed warmly so the chilly breath of winter can’t quite touch them yet.   


“Oh my god”, Artie’s voice breaks through the silence, suddenly, as realization dawns on him. “You planned this, didn’t you?”    


“Planned what?”   


“ _This_. Us, sitting here, on a bench. When we’re seventy. It’s just like the lyrics. You planned it. “

Paul just smiles. “Maybe”, he says.   


“So, I wanna have my present, I’ve been thinking about it on the way here. What it is?”   


“I didn’t say I had a present for you.”   


“Yes you did”. Art sounds a little indignant.   


“No, I didn’t. I said I had a  _surprise_. It’s not the same thing.”     


“So I don’t get a present on my birthday?” Art is pouting now, and his wrinkled face looks oddly childlike, like a small boy who doesn’t get a cookie from the jar.    


“What are you, seven?” Paul is amused by Art’s sulking.    


“No, seven _ty_ , actually. Small difference.”   


Paul has to laugh out loud at that.     


“So what is my surprise then?” Art’s eyes gleam from anticipation.    


“Seriously, impatient much?  I actually just wanted to tell you something.”   


“Oh. Okay”, Art says, and he waits for Paul to continue.   


“You remember when we were seventeen and we laughed so much that summer about that girl I was dating? What was her name again, Cheryl or something? She was crazy, man. You remember?”

Art chuckles at the memory. He does remember crazy Cheryl. It’s funny how he remembers nearly every little detail when Paul is concerned.

Paul goes on. “I just…what happened to us, Artie? Sometimes I lie awake at night thinking about how I miss this friendship, the familiarity of it, the laughs. How I miss you.”

Art’s heart beats faster. He knows it’s not easy for Paul to admit all of this. Not to himself, but certainly not to Art either. “I’m still your friend, Paul. I always was.”, Art says. He knows there were…pauses in their friendship. It’s kind of like a dvd player. Only it isn’t. You can’t rewind and do it all over again. But in all those years, Paul was never out of his thoughts. Never, not even for a minute.

“I know you are, but it’s not the same. I want it to be like old times again. We see each other what? Ten times a year? It’s just not enough. Tell you what, why don’t you come stay at my place for a while. Bring Kim and the kids. We can all get to know each other again.”

Art nods. It’s all he ever wanted anyway, to have Paul back in his life, without all the drama. Just them, just like old times. Making amends.

It’s a pity it took them from seventeen to seventy to figure this out.

“Since we’re on the subject of surprises”, Art says, “you do realize that I had a crush on you when we were seventeen?” He flashes a bright grin, trying to make it sound like a joke, but he’s not even half joking.

Paul turns his head and looks up at him and doesn’t even look a little surprised. “Oh really, you did huh? And you waited 53 years to tell me this? It didn’t cross your mind that you could actually try and do something about it at the time?”

Art is taken aback a little, wondering if Paul realizes what exactly it is that he’s implying here. But then again, maybe Paul does know. Maybe he has known all these years and he’s not joking either. What a couple of idiots they are.

“Hey, you were dating Cheryl, what was I to do?”

“Right.” Paul says. “I forgot. I’m sorry.” He pats Art’s shoulder, hoping that through the touch Art will know he means it. He’s sorry about a lot of things.

“Don’t be sorry, Paul. I guess we were both stupid. We were teenagers.”  

“Hey”, Paul says. His hand has now moved to Art’s neck, and he’s absent-mindedly curling his index finger around Art’s hair. “Maybe we should plan another world tour. I can already see it. Simon & Garfunkel : the Old Lovers tour. Seventy and hot for each other. You think the audience would be interested?” The corners of his mouth curl upwards again and he has a glint in his eyes. Art figures it’s the happiest he has seen Paul in years. 

Now it’s Art’s turn to start giggling.  He moves his hand to Paul’s knee and fleetingly touches it.  “Really, Paul, you have the craziest ideas. Then again, I bet they’d love it, though.”

They fall back into silence for a few minutes.

“Paul?”

“Hmmm..?”

“I don’t need to ‘get to know’ you anymore. I already do. Know you, I mean. Have for a long time.”

Paul tightens his grip on Art’s neck and closes his eyes. “Yeah”, he replies. “Yeah, I guess you do. I’m  _glad_  you do.”

Art tightens his coat, trying to keep the cold out as the sun is about to disappear behind the horizon. Two old friends, waiting for the sunset. It’s the best birthday present ever, Art thinks.


End file.
